Broad-bodied chaser

Image Critiques Macro/Close-up Critiques
1

Nettetal_IMGP4524_platbuik.jpg
Nettetal_IMGP4524_platbuik.jpg1911×1233 141 KB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

I was on my way to shoot some young waterbirds: coot and great crested grebe were nesting nearby and had offspring. A dragonfly sat on a blade of grass while I was waiting near the water and I used the tele for a close-up.
I made a tighter crop as well. But somehow, I like the “smoky” patterns of light, the reflections in the water. This dragonfly isn’t one of the most attractive varieties in his family, and cropping gives the insect more attention but the main part of the reflections in the water is lost.

Specific Feedback

As mentioned above, I decided not to crop any further. I like to read your opinions.

The used aperture f/11 isn’t small enough to keep the entire dragonfly in focus. I made two other images with a different focus position, manually. But the breeze and small movements of the insect in between the exposures shifted the dragonfly too much in the frame for the stacking software. So I ended up with this single shot. Does it bother you, that part of the dragonfly isn’t really sharp?

Technical Details

Pentax K3 Mk.III, Pentax 150-450 @450mm, 1/160s, f/11, ISO1600, tripod.
Very little editing, except a small crop (about 80% of the original image).

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2

Han: You should have asked him to turn around :wink:. I do like this, especially the BG from the water. I think you got enough DOF for a successful image. For me the head and eyes on dragonflies are super important and I think you got that right even though there’s so little of the head showing. Two things that would improve this for me is to make the most OOF seed head go away and the OOF green blob in the LRC. I like the colors in the critter and its pose. Nicely done.>=))>

Han
Han1683×1233 845 KB

3

Han, I like what Bill did with this image. Yes, it would have been nice if he would have just turned around for you if you asked him nicely, but unfortunately, nature doesn’t work that way. Not sure if you had any options for you to adjust your position to get more of his head or not, and I realize you were there for a different subject (birds) so you didn’t want to scare them off trying to get a better shot of the DF. Nice details in the DF.

4

Good capture!! Enough DOF for me, and more than we see in most DF shots – f/64 couldn’t get enough DOF for these guys. The BG is very interesting. I like @Bill_Fach’s edit, and think you could darken the OOF FG even more, even though it could be tricky. Had to give it a try (using Bill’s version). I think a crop from the bottom to eliminate the almost-horizontal leaf would work.

Han-DM
Han-DM1683×1233 285 KB

5

Thank you, @Bill_Fach , @Shirley_Freeman and @Diane_Miller for your comments. Much appreciated.
I too like Bill’s edit, it is no doubt better than the original. Thanks for other suggestions as well.
@Shirley_Freeman : there was no option to adjust my position, I was waiting on the side of a stream for birds, when the DF perched on a plant hanging over the water. He didn’t listen when I told him to turn around. Should have begged him or offered something he can’t refuse.

1 Like
6

I suspected that you didn’t have another position to shoot from for a better angle. It is also hard to sweet talk nature into doing what we need them to do for a photo too. I think you did well with the situation at hand.